Cindy's bloghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blogs/cindy
Tulsa City-County Library | Libraries Change LivesenSick of All the Superheroes? by Sarah Throwerhttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/sick-all-superheroes-sarah-thrower
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/Sarah_0.jpg?itok=r9s_iC3Z" width="160" height="220" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>It’s pretty hard to miss the increasing presence of Marvel and D.C. (and other) comic superheroes in movie theaters of late. I decided to look up the trend. According to BoxOfficMojo.com, “Superman” started it all in 1978, and that was the only superhero genre movie that year. The average number of superhero movies per year has basically doubled each decade since the 80s, and in 2016 there are 7 planned superhero movie releases (so far)! While I like a good action-adventure as much as anybody, there is such a thing as genre overload. However, I’m a big believer in Serendipity, and that things come into your life when you need them the most. Thus “<a href="https://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=steelheart+sanderson&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Steelheart">Steelheart</a>,” the first book in “<a href="https://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=reckoners+sanderson&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" The Reckoners">The Reckoners</a>” trilogy by Brandon Sanderson, came to my rescue. Originally published in 2013, it’s basically the anti-superhero story we’ve all been waiting for!</p>
<p>In this alternate universe, the world is ruled by the ruthless Epics, people with super-human powers. They’d be the standard definition of superheroes if only they were, you know, the least bit heroic. Instead of fighting for the little guy in the name of justice, they are cruel, and use their powers to steal, kill, and generally subjugate all the mundane, non-superpowered populations around them. The story takes place in Newcago, under the dictatorship of Steelheart, a seemingly impervious Epic who has turned Chicago into one gigantic lump of steel. </p>
<p>However, this story isn’t about the Epics; it’s about a group called the Reckoners, who fight the Epics. Our main protagonist is 18 year old David, whose father was murdered in front of him by Steelheart 10 years prior. After a decade of researching the Epics and their individual vulnerabilities, David hopes to join the Reckoners with a plan to actually bring down the mighty Steelheart himself, and avenge his father’s death. After all, he did see Steelheart bleed that day—he can’t be truly impervious, right? With smarts, tech, stealth, and some good old fashioned courage and perseverance, David and the Reckoners prove through their actions, that their world isn’t devoid of real heroes after all. </p>
<p>
I listened to this book as an audiobook in my car. The narrator does a great job with voicing all the characters. The story is well paced, particularly for an audio-read. The characters are all well-written, the action sequences are very engaging, and the twists and reveals are surprising. While the trilogy is considered to be of the YA persuasion, don’t let that dissuade you as the “teen drama” is minimal here. The second book in the series “<a href="https://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=firefight+sanderson&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Firefight">Firefight</a>” was recently released in January of this year (and there is an additional novella connecting books 1 and 2 called “<a href="https://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=mitosis+sanderson&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue">Mitosis</a>”), and it’s currently available for checkout. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing with this trilogy!</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/superheroes" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Superheroes</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/brandon-sanderson" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Brandon Sanderson</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Tue, 31 Mar 2015 16:50:37 +0000Cindy239366 at http://tulsalibrary.orghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/sick-all-superheroes-sarah-thrower#commentsCharmers by Cindy Hulseyhttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/charmers-cindy-hulsey
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/Cindy%20Headshot_24.jpg?itok=W_l69qa6" width="180" height="220" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>I’m reading <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=rosie+effect+simsion&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" The Rosie Effect">The Rosie Effect</a> by Graeme Simsion, which is a sequel to <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=rosie%20project%20simsion" title=" The Rosie Project">The Rosie Project</a>. It’s just as delightful as the first book. In <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=rosie%20project%20simsion" title=" The Rosie Project">The Rosie Project</a> the socially inept, but brilliant and kindhearted Don Tillman, who probably resides somewhere on the Autism spectrum, sets out to find a wife, using a scientific method. Of course he falls in love with someone who has none of the attributes on his carefully constructed list. In the follow-up Don adjusts to married life and the news that he is about to be a father. Hilarity ensues.</p>
<p>Simsion has managed to create a protagonist that is deeply sympathetic, language that is witty and punchy, and timing that rivals the best sitcom writers. (He first wrote <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=rosie%20project%20simsion" title=" The Rosie Project">The Rosie Project </a>as a screenplay, then turned it into a novel.)</p>
<p>It’s interesting that a man has had great success with a domestic, light-hearted romantic comedy; territory usually dominated by female writers. It proves that domestic fiction is not just for women; it’s for anyone who has a domestic life; which of course includes everyone! If I had to choose one word to describe these books it would be charming. It’s difficult to read them without a smile on your face and the occasional audible chuckle. Simsion’s writing is smart and sassy, his characters quirky and endearing, and his books a pleasure to read.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/graeme-simsion" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Graeme Simsion</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Tue, 24 Mar 2015 14:17:44 +0000Cindy239283 at http://tulsalibrary.orghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/charmers-cindy-hulsey#commentsGood Friends for a Rainy Day by Cindy Hulseyhttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/good-friends-rainy-day-cindy-hulsey
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/Cindy%20Headshot_23.jpg?itok=qAOIpKi6" width="180" height="220" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>It’s raining and chilly today—a perfect day to curl up with a cozy throw and a comforting book. You probably have several books or authors that you turn to when you want to feel good about the world; something life affirming that will take you away from your troubles for a few hours.</p>
<p>The most comforting books for me are those written by Madeleine Stern and Leona Rostenberg. The most well-known is <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1380760063_old_books,_rare_friends" title=" Old Books Rare Friends">Old Books, Rare Friends: Two Literary Sleuths and Their Shared Passion</a>. Published in 1997 it is a memoir of their lifelong friendship and of the rare book business they built together.</p>
<p>I love the cover of this book. The two octogenarians are sitting on an ornately carved silk upholstered antique settee. Both are dressed in tidy slim skirts, prim blouses and tasteful jewelry; Madeleine tall and slim, Leona petite and a bit stout through the middle. Between them sits an obviously pampered and treasured dachshund. Behind them are bookshelves filled with leather bound volumes in sepia tones. The photograph is neatly bordered in black and framed in gilt. The title font is appropriately archaic. It’s a slim volume, but oh, the treasures it holds.</p>
<p>These women, who defied the conventions of their day, look self-assured and content. I love them dearly. By reading their jointly written books (each has also published individually), I feel as though I know them intimately. Instead of marrying and becoming housewives, as the majority of middle class women did during the Depression, they valued education and independence, and quietly became highly successful in a male-dominated profession.</p>
<p>They write with the same grace and elegance with which they lived their lives. Both are now gone; but their spirits still reside in my heart, where I will always have a special place for them and their lovely books.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/leona-rostenberg" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Leona Rostenberg</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/madeleine-stern" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Madeleine Stern</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Wed, 18 Mar 2015 14:27:56 +0000Cindy239088 at http://tulsalibrary.orghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/good-friends-rainy-day-cindy-hulsey#commentsGood Friends for a Rainy Day by Cindy Hulseyhttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/good-friends-rainy-day-cindy-hulsey
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/Cindy%20Headshot_22.jpg?itok=O8UYkifE" width="180" height="220" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>It’s raining and chilly today—a perfect day to curl up with a cozy throw and a comforting book. You probably have several books or authors that you turn to when you want to feel good about the world; something life affirming that will take you away from your troubles for a few hours.</p>
<p>The most comforting books for me are those written by Madeleine Stern and Leona Rostenberg. The most well-known is <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1380760063_old_books,_rare_friends" title=" Old Books Rare Friends">Old Books, Rare Friends: Two Literary Sleuths and Their Shared Passion</a>. Published in 1997 it is a memoir of their lifelong friendship and of the rare book business they built together.</p>
<p>I love the cover of this book. The two octogenarians are sitting on an ornately carved silk upholstered antique settee. Both are dressed in tidy slim skirts, prim blouses and tasteful jewelry; Madeleine tall and slim, Leona petite and a bit stout through the middle. Between them sits an obviously pampered and treasured dachshund. Behind them are bookshelves filled with leather bound volumes in sepia tones. The photograph is neatly bordered in black and framed in gilt. The title font is appropriately archaic. It’s a slim volume, but oh, the treasures it holds.</p>
<p>These women, who defied the conventions of their day, look self-assured and content. I love them dearly. By reading their jointly written books (each has also published individually), I feel as though I know them intimately. Instead of marrying and becoming housewives, as the majority of middle class women did during the Depression, they valued education and independence, and quietly became highly successful in a male-dominated profession.</p>
<p>They write with the same grace and elegance with which they lived their lives. Both are now gone; but their spirits still reside in my heart, where I will always have a special place for them and their lovely books.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/leona-rostenberg" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Leona Rostenberg</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/madeleine-stern" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Madeleine Stern</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Wed, 18 Mar 2015 14:27:55 +0000Cindy239087 at http://tulsalibrary.orghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/good-friends-rainy-day-cindy-hulsey#commentsThe Danger of the Over-hype by Cindy Hulseyhttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/danger-over-hype-cindy-hulsey
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/Cindy%20Headshot_21.jpg?itok=I3migZF_" width="180" height="220" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p><a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=girl%20on%20the%20train" title=" The Girl on the Train">The Girl on the Train</a> by Paula Hawkins was destined to be a bestseller and in fact debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestsellers List. The publisher pulled out all the stops to promote it; it was hailed as the next <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=gone+girl&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Gone Girl">Gone Girl</a>; it received rave reviews in numerous publications.</p>
<p>Like most people I enjoy a good psychological thriller from time to time and placed a hold on the book when the library ordered it. I waited for a good bit to get it (as of this writing there are still 321 holds on the print copy) and read it quickly so I could turn it in and get it to the next eager reader.</p>
<p>But after turning the last page I felt let down. Don’t get me wrong; this wasn’t a bad book. In fact it did keep me turning the pages. The short dialog-heavy chapters, the obviously unreliable narrator (an alcoholic who frequently experiences blackouts) and the mystery to be solved made me whiz through it. But in the end, it didn’t live up to the hype.</p>
<p>Frankly, if I had never heard of this book and had picked it up based purely upon its alluring description, I would have enjoyed it and found it to be a pleasurable way to spend a bit of leisure time. The book’s premise is exceptionally appealing to me. Rachel, a young woman saddled with many personal problems, rides a London commuter train every day and passes the street where she used to live. Her house is now occupied by her ex-husband, with whom she’s obsessed, and his new wife. A few doors down, in an identical house, live an attractive couple she envies for their seemingly perfect life together. One day she witnesses something disturbing on the terrace of this idyllic home and soon after learns that the woman she fantasized about trading places with has gone missing. The bulk of the book concerns Rachel’s attempt to reconstruct where she was the night of the disappearance, how she was injured, and how her ex and his new wife figure into things.</p>
<p>The book is narrated in first person primarily by Rachel, but also by Megan (who has disappeared) and Anna (Rachel’s replacement). The trouble is, as a reviewer for Library Journal pointed out, the book has “undeveloped characters [that] offer no reason or motivation for their actions, and none of them is likable.” Compare this with Patricia Highsmith’s classic thriller, <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=talented+mr+ripley&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue">The Talented Mr. Ripley</a>, which caused the reader to identify with, and even root for, Tom Ripley, a sociopathic cold-blooded killer.</p>
<p>When a book is touted as earth-shattering and turns out to be merely good, readers are in danger of being disappointed. I do understand that every book appeals to different types of readers and that no book will be loved by everyone. Millions of people apparently have found this book to be quite satisfying. If you were one of them I would love to hear from you.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/paula-hawkins" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Paula Hawkins</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Tue, 10 Mar 2015 15:41:17 +0000Cindy238618 at http://tulsalibrary.orghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/danger-over-hype-cindy-hulsey#commentsPowerfully Unforgettable by Lynette Hardyhttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/powerfully-unforgettable-lynette-hardy
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/lynette%20hardy%202011.JPG?itok=EoIDEprw" width="176" height="220" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>Note: Lynette facilitates the monthly book discussion group at the <a href="http://www.tulsalibrary.org/peggy-helmerich-library" title="Peggy Helmerich Library">Peggy Helmerich Library</a>. Following are notes from a recent meeting. If you would like more info about their book discussion group call 918-549-7323 or email <a href="mailto:AskUs@tulsalibrary.org">AskUs@tulsalibrary.org</a>.</p>
<p>There is nothing terribly shocking, disturbing, weird, amoral, or gasp-producing in the American novels we read for our January meeting. The plots don’t speed along, and the main characters don’t murder anyone or harbor ghastly secrets. For many readers this is a disappointment… but authors Willa Cather (<a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=o%20pioneers%20cather" title=" O Pioneers">O PIONEERS</a>; <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=my+antonia+cather&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" My Antonia">MY ANTONIA</a>); Wallace Stegner (<a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=crossing+to+safety+stegner&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Crossing to Safety">CROSSING TO SAFETY</a>), and Marilynne Robinson (GILEAD) have produced master works of American literature that fuse place and character into something quiet but powerfully unforgettable.</p>
<p>Willa Cather (1873-1947) wrote about life on the Nebraska prairie, her home for many years. We discussed the particular effects of the large and nearly empty landscape on the individuals that live there. Her novels explore the paradox of individual self-reliance and independence with the necessity of relying on your neighbors, and the particular challenges of the immigrant experience. Harsh weather extremes and stifling loneliness are only some of the trials Cather’s characters face, and for the most part, overcome, in exchange for the opportunity and freedom the large land gives them.</p>
<p>Wallace Stegner (1909–1993) is not as well-known as he was in the 1970’s-80’s when <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=angle+of+repose&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Angle of Repose">ANGLE OF REPOSE</a>, the story based on the letters of Mary Hallock Foote (collected in A VICTORIAN GENTLEWOMAN IN THE FAR WEST) won the Pulitzer Prize (1972). <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=crossing+to+safety+stegner&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Crossing to Safety">CROSSING TO SAFETY</a>, published in 1987, a remarkable 50 years after his first novel was published, was a best-seller. Our readers are ready to read more of Stegner, also known for his prize-winning short stories and extensive list of non-fiction. Like his student, poet-novelist Wendell Berry (another favorite!), he was a passionate environmentalist writing important essays on the West and biographies of the naturalist John Wesley Powell and historian of the West, Bernard DeVoto. The Stegner writing seminars at Stanford produced some of America’s finest late 20th century writers. We loved these two novels. One person said they were novels for grownups, in the best sense of the word. About <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=crossing+to+safety+stegner&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Crossing to Safety">CROSSING</a>, someone remarked that there wasn’t one wasted word in the seamless narrative about friendship, time, memories of place, marriage, and at its heart, the mysteries and frustrations of loving someone who is stubbornly their own unique self. Unlike our discussion of Ann Patchett’s sometimes frustrating endings, I felt the ending of <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=crossing+to+safety+stegner&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Crossing to Safety">CROSSING </a>was absolutely perfect. There isn’t much in that novel that isn’t. It’s a perfect book club book and deserves a wider audience in the 21st century.</p>
<p>Contemporary writer Marilynne Robinson (born 1943 in Idaho) lives a literary life, teaching and writing about writing. Known for thoughtful, philosophical essays and her interrelated novels (the 2014 novel, <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=lila+marilynne+robinson&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Lila">LILA </a>is about a character in <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=gilead+marilynne+robinson&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Gilead">GILEAD</a>) she explores the deeper side of good people, some of whom confront social evils in conflicting ways. The voice in <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=gilead+marilynne+robinson&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Gilead">GILEAD </a>is of an older pastor writing to his very young son and reflecting on his life and relationship with his own father who was a disciple-follower of the abolitionist John Brown. It is a elegantly written, tender novel about important things.</p>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/willa-cather" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Willa Cather</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/wallace-stegner" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Wallace Stegner</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/marilynne-robinson" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marilynne Robinson</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Tue, 03 Mar 2015 22:21:39 +0000Cindy238492 at http://tulsalibrary.orghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/powerfully-unforgettable-lynette-hardy#commentsWhat Becomes of the Broken-Hearted? by Rebecca Howardhttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/what-becomes-broken-hearted-rebecca-howard
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/Rebecca%20Howard%20Headshot_8.JPG?itok=G9Xhej0d" width="176" height="220" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>Grief is a subject that we tend to avoid. It is experienced uniquely and carried alone despite its universality. Grieving people are reminders of what tiny, fragile creatures we are. For many, reading offers some consolation. Personally, I’ve found peace from reading favorite poets like Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver. For others, religious texts may comfort.</p>
<p>Colm Toibin’s latest novel <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=nora%20webster" title=" Nora Webster">Nora Webster</a> is one of the most sensitively rendered depictions of grief that I’ve read. The title character is a young widow in her 40s with two young sons at home and two adult daughters. With a style, tone, and pacing similar to that of Elizabeth Strout’s <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=olive+kitteridge&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" Olive Kitteridge">Olive Kitteridge</a>, Toibin allows us into Nora’s interior world. Uncertain of her future and worried over money, she begins working in an office. But, it is when she resumes singing that she begins to reawaken a sense of self-direction, purpose, and enjoyment. </p>
<p>Fair warning: nothing “happens” in this novel, even when tumultuous events are alluded to within the story. And while some readers are bothered by this lack of narrative, I found it to be a perfect mirror of grief –that it casts a sense of the world being suspended even while it continues spinning. Almost like prayer or meditation, reading this novel is both quieting and unsettling simultaneously. Nora, like Olive Kitteridge, is a character remembered not because she is especially likable, but because she is human. Her journey, while not boisterous or triumphant, is quiet, subtle, and beautifully life-affirming. </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/grief" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Grief</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/colm-toibin" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Colm Toibin</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/elizabeth-strout" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Elizabeth Strout</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Fri, 27 Feb 2015 17:07:08 +0000Cindy238438 at http://tulsalibrary.orghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/what-becomes-broken-hearted-rebecca-howard#commentsHick Lit by Nick Abrahamsonhttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/hick-lit-nick-abrahamson
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/nick%20abrahamson%20012%20%282%29_3.JPG?itok=b26Wep1O" width="146" height="220" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>One of the knocks on southern realist 'hick lit' is the by-the-numbers feel of much of the work. Genre characteristics give way to cliché. Authors worship at the altar of Faulkner or O'Connor. A dog-eared 1930's thesaurus inexorably sits alongside a modern permutation of an Underwood Portable. The writing is either brimming over with warmth in the oral storytelling tradition or is all but humorless, happy to follow the well-trod path of Great Stoic Writerly Men, the Melvilles and McCarthys. Homeric in their majesty. Characters are more or less stock. A wayward soul is given a chance at redemption. Women are often strictly maidenly or motherly. The supporting casts' lives do not exist in grey areas. They're either kind or crooked.</p>
<p><a href="http://encore.coalliance.org/iii/encore/search/C__St:(shelter%20of%20others%20);jsessionid=7CC96B7E3EDF0633D8AB4C9AD2439F47?lang=eng" title=" A Shelter of Others">A Shelter of Others</a>--either unfortunately or happily--falls within this critique. Personally, I respond warmly to these otherwise faulty shortcomings. White's assembly of this novel, of these characters, rarely feels unique. The denouement unmistakably evokes <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;t=smart&amp;search_category=keyword&amp;q=if+i+forget+thee+jerusalem&amp;commit=Search&amp;searchOpt=catalogue" title=" If I Forget Thee Jerusalem">If I Forget Thee Jerusalem</a> but also more subtly Rash’s <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1820486063_one_foot_in_eden" title=" One Foot in Eden">One Foot In Eden</a>. Though <a href="http://encore.coalliance.org/iii/encore/search/C__St:(shelter%20of%20others%20);jsessionid=7CC96B7E3EDF0633D8AB4C9AD2439F47?lang=eng" title=" A Shelter of Others">Shelter </a>is often predictable, I still enjoyed experiencing the story unfold itself. If White is too self-serious, it’s only because he’s following in the footsteps of the very Gods themselves. He’s tackling big game here; love, death, and the innumerable tumult of the human experience. </p>
<p>
Note: Nick obtained this book through TCCL’s Mobius service, which gives our cardholders access to collections in Missouri and Colorado libraries. If you don’t find a title you’re looking for in our catalog just click on the Mobius link to see if you can obtain it from one of our partner libraries, quickly, and at no charge. CAH<br />
</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/charles-dodd-white" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Charles Dodd White</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/southern-literature" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Southern Literature</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Wed, 18 Feb 2015 17:06:15 +0000Cindy238098 at http://tulsalibrary.orghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/hick-lit-nick-abrahamson#commentsAmazing Grace by Adrienne Teaguehttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/amazing-grace-adrienne-teague
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/Adrienne%20Teague_2.JPG?itok=ABeNSwR3" width="220" height="165" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p><a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=alias%20grace%20atwood" title=" Alias Grace">Alias Grace</a> by Margaret Atwood is an amazing book. I read it for the Broken Arrow Library book discussion group, and while I was reading it, I was thinking, "Man, this is a good book." Then my book group discussed it. By the end of the discussion, we were all sitting there with our mouths hanging open thinking collectively, "Mind blown."</p>
<p>There are sort of two story lines happening here. First, is the story Grace is telling Dr. Jordan about her memories surrounding the murders of her employer and his mistress/housekeeper, for which Grace has been incarcerated for 17 years. The second story is the story of Dr. Jordan's stay in Kingston where Grace is in prison and some of the townspeople involved in Grace's case. Grace claims to have passed out during the germane parts of the day of the murders and doesn't remember doing the things her accused accomplice says she did.</p>
<p>The whole thing is based on true events that took place in 1843. The deaths of Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery were international news at the time, and Grace Marks and James McDermott became celebrated criminals, although Grace maintained her innocence throughout. McDermott was hanged, but Grace was spared due to her extreme youth. She was 15 years old. In our story, Dr. Jordan is a doctor interested in the study of insanity, and he is interviewing Grace to determine if she is crazy, and hopefully to uncover the memories she lost of the day of the murders.</p>
<p>This is a large book and my copy had terribly small print, but there was not a single throwaway word in all 460 pages. As we discussed the book, we found each of us remembered different points and when we went back and looked at those sections, we found little words and phrases that opened up a whole new meaning to the book.</p>
<p>If you can discuss this with a group after you read it, it's an amazing way to experience the brilliance that is <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=alias%20grace%20atwood" title=" Alias Grace">Alias Grace</a>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/margaret-atwood" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Margaret Atwood</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Tue, 10 Feb 2015 14:56:48 +0000Cindy237166 at http://tulsalibrary.orghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/amazing-grace-adrienne-teague#commentsA Momentous Publishing Event by Cindy Hulseyhttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/momentous-publishing-event-cindy-hulsey
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/Cindy%20Headshot_20.jpg?itok=_BPSBPvk" width="180" height="220" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>Yesterday as I was driving back to my office from a meeting I heard the news that a new book by Harper Lee will be published this summer. I almost wrecked the car! Part of Lee’s mystique is that she wrote one perfect novel, a book that is beloved by generations of Americans, then was silent for more than 50 years, living a quiet life in Monroeville Alabama with her sister. <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=to%20kill%20a%20mockingbird" title=" To Kill a Mockingbird">To Kill a Mockingbird</a> was translated to the screen in 1962, and Atticus Finch, as portrayed by Gregory Peck, became an American hero, while his daughter Scout was adored by millions.</p>
<p>What is it about <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=to%20kill%20a%20mockingbird" title=" To Kill a Mockingbird">To Kill a Mockingbird</a> that makes it such an American classic? I would submit that it is because the book appeals on many levels. It is a heartwarming coming-of-age story featuring a spunky, precocious heroine; an examination of one man’s solitary battle for justice in the face of insurmountable odds; a searing depiction of racism and its legacy of pain and suffering; a small town setting that comes to life through authentic descriptions.</p>
<p>The new book, called Go Set a Watchman, was actually written before <a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=to%20kill%20a%20mockingbird" title=" To Kill a Mockingbird">To Kill a Mockingbird</a>. Scout, the protagonist of Mockingbird is an adult in the book, and Lee’s publisher was taken with the flashback scenes of Scout as a child and encouraged Lee to pursue that angle; thus the birth of one of the most cherished books in the world.</p>
<p>Anticipation is high for this new novel, which is such an unexpected treat. Like millions of others, I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Of course with expectations so high, I hope Lee’s adoring public won’t judge it harshly, as even a so-so book by Harper Lee will no doubt eclipse the vast majority of novels published these days. Watch the library’s catalog to reserve your copy!</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/harper-lee" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Harper Lee</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Wed, 04 Feb 2015 16:56:58 +0000Cindy236741 at http://tulsalibrary.orghttp://tulsalibrary.org/blog/momentous-publishing-event-cindy-hulsey#comments